Weekly News

A Time to be Thankful:

 I hope you and your family had a wonderful break and an opportunity to reflect our many blessings.  STUCO lead our chapel this past week and gave a great witness on how we can give thanks to God for the little things as well as the big things.  Students donated a wealth of food to provide for the seminarian Thanksgiving meals and to help stock their food pantry.

Thanks to you for helping celebrate my birthday as well.  I look forward to spending the Together We're Better gift certificate.

Veterans Day Blogs

Click the Student Blog tab above to follow the link to our Veterans' Day Blog entries.  Note - you may login as a guest (password: bobcats) and click "Go to Class Blogs".  Students love to receive comments. Consider commenting on your own child's blog and at least one classmate.  No last names, please!

Science

Friday in Science, students completed a lab where they looked at the skin of an onion with microscopes.  Next, students got creative with what they examined.  They made slides with hair, an eye lash, some pencil shavings, and more onions.

Advent Service - Dec. 5  10:00 A.M. and 7:00 P.M.

I want to keep the date in front of you as the Advent Service is less than 2 weeks away.  Please email me with any questions you have.  This week we will finalize memorization and begin microphone practice.  Dress for that evening will be school dress or nicer unless your child has a costumed part. 

Educators' Conference

Teachers had a wonderful two days at our Educators Conference.  The focus of our experience was Professional Learning Communities, which - it a nutshell - is linking teachers together to share resources.  I met some fantastic teachers from around the state who shared terrific teaching ideas, project ideas, and web resources.  It was an uplifting experience and I thank PTL for making this professional development experience possible.

World Cup Stacking -

Check back for pictures from our cup stacking challenge.  (I forgot to bring my camera home)

Weekly blog

Veterans Day Remembrance

Students honored Veterans Day on Friday with a chapel service led by 8th grade teacher, Mrs. Murray.  We learned about the armed forces and their role during times of peace as well as conflict.  Students were given the challenge to approach members of the military, past and present, with four simple words:  "Thank you for serving."  Students are reflecting on Veterans Day in their student blogs to be posted next week. 

How was School Today?

If you ask this questions, you likely get a one word answer: "Fine" or "OK".  Help your child talk about their day by knowing a little about what we're learning:

Religion:  Luther and the Reformation - We've read a biography that cleverly has Luther visit 6th grade students at lunch time Lutheran School to talk about faith and the importance Bible truths.  Ever hear of Luther's "Table Talks?"  Around our Advent rehearsals, we are wrapping up our Reformation study with studying Luther's "Solas" and creating our personal creeds. 

Social Studies:  Great Lakes Ecosystems and Urban Sprawl - After finishing our Great Lakes study, students presented views on pollution, invasive species and habitat loss in an online poster mimicing a website.  Now we shift focus to looking at the problem of Urban Sprawl and investigate city planning.

English:  Verbs, Verbs, Verbs!  Did you know there are 6 verb tenses? past, present, future, past perfect, present perfect, and future perfect tenses?  Confused?  Us too!  But as the meanings come clear - we are seeing just how specific communication can be.  Imagine coming from Korea where verbs do not change for time or in subject/verb agreement!!

Next Week's Reminders:

MONDAY:   Field trip permission slips come home and are due back Wednesday.

TUESDAY:  Auditions for preservice/offering music for the Advent Service.

WEDNESDAY:  Thanksgiving Food Drive in Chapel.  Donations supply seminary families with a
Thanksgiving Meal

THURSDAY:  World Cup Stacking Day. 6th graders will participate during PE.

Weekly Blog

Welcoming a New 6th Grader-

We welcome an exchange student from Seoul, Korea to Mr. Braddy's class next week.  He is called Seong Han, though in Korean I have learned, names are reversed in print.  We look forward to meeting him and are thrilled he chose Zion as a place to discover American culture.  He will be with us for a few months before he returns home to Korea.

Invitations

Muffins for Moms - Wed. Nov. 7 All moms are invited and encouraged to come and eat goodies with your child(ren) in the CHURCH BASEMENT anytime from 7:00-7:45 a.m.  You are welcome to attend chapel at 8:10 with us and sit with your child(ren). 

Veteran's Day Remembrance  Fri. Nov. 9  Junior High classes will gather in the church for a special Veteran's Day chapel.  Families and Veterans are invited to join us from 8:10 - 8:45 a.m.

Literature Discussion Groups

We had an opportunity to collaborate ideas with the 6B Literature class today on a story both classes read.  We used an online etherpad to have all students sharing ideas at once (much quieter than 33 students all talking at once.)  See an example of the Type With Me link and click the clock in the upper right corner to see the conversation unfold.

Group 1   Group 2    Group 3      Group 4     Group 5